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Ex-Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kaellenius returns to company as sales and marketing chief

Ola Kaellenius will return to Mercedes-Benz on Oct. 1.

File photo | The Tuscaloosa News

Staff report | The Tuscaloosa News

Published: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 at 7:39 p.m.

Ola Kaellenius, a former president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International in Vance, has been named Mercedes sales and marketing chief, effective Oct. 1.

Kaellenius, 44, will succeed Joachim Schmidt, who is retiring after a 34-year career with Mercedes.

Kaellenius headed Mercedes operations in Vance for less than a year. He succeeded Bill Taylor in June 2009 when Taylor retired as head of MBUSI. In April 2010, he returned to Germany to lead Mercedes' AMG unit, which builds the SLS gullwing supercar.

A native of Sweden, Kaellenius joined Mercedes in 1993.

"With Ola Kaellenius, we have someone with cars in his blood taking over the reins," said a statement from Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG, Mercedes' parent company.

In reporting on Kaellenius' new job, the trade journal Automotive News said he will have his work cut out, especially in China where Mercedes has fallen far behind its two bigger rivals due to a lack of dealerships as well as two competing local sales subsidiaries.

China has been a major growing market for Mercedes and other auto makers.

<p>Ola Kaellenius, a former president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International in Vance, has been named Mercedes sales and marketing chief, effective Oct. 1.</p><p>Kaellenius, 44, will succeed Joachim Schmidt, who is retiring after a 34-year career with Mercedes.</p><p>Kaellenius headed Mercedes operations in Vance for less than a year. He succeeded Bill Taylor in June 2009 when Taylor retired as head of MBUSI. In April 2010, he returned to Germany to lead Mercedes' AMG unit, which builds the SLS gullwing supercar.</p><p>A native of Sweden, Kaellenius joined Mercedes in 1993.</p><p>"With Ola Kaellenius, we have someone with cars in his blood taking over the reins," said a statement from Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG, Mercedes' parent company.</p><p>In reporting on Kaellenius' new job, the trade journal Automotive News said he will have his work cut out, especially in China where Mercedes has fallen far behind its two bigger rivals due to a lack of dealerships as well as two competing local sales subsidiaries.</p><p>China has been a major growing market for Mercedes and other auto makers.</p>